2008 USP(G)ET pt. II: counting the days to 2012 primary thread 1

It might have been even better had he bothered to show up for even a single one of the 108 Senate votes that have been taken between April 8, when he last showed up, and today.

Last night Anderson Cooper pointed out that McCain missed more votes than the senator who's recovering from a stroke.

i mean, don't get me wrong, major news orgs are absolutely complicit in packaging and selling the bullshit 'narratives' of this campaign, but the relationship between the campaign press and the campaigns themselves is a symbiotic relationship that's evolved over the last half century. if the mccain camp continues to violate the established (but tacit) ground rules about access and coverage, the press isn't going to just take it and then turn around and heap praise on him.

xxpost

Does he usually wind the ad tapes himself? Does he go around to all the TV stations in order to say "I'm John McCain and I approve this message" in person?

lol

Some unreliable data on whether people want the debate to be on the economy: http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportUC.aspx?g=54d651a7-a62b-4420-bb32-9dd6b2df8c02

Held as scheduled: 50%
Held but on economy: 36%
Postponed: 10%

suspending his advertising is bizarre. Obama isn't going to do it, so McCain is essentially crippling himself. I can't fathom what he is thinking.

at this point, i think tracer hand's estimation of free press might not be too far-fetched

he doesn't want to win, because whomsoever inherits the presidency is fucked either way?

is all i can think...

I saw a McCain ad during The Today Show this morning, so I'm not quite sure what "suspending my campaign" means in a practical sense here beyond "look, I can fake like I care with the best of them" or "oops someone didn't get the memo re: not showing my commercials, lol"

apparently they're still figuring out how to work the telling phone to let networks know the should suspend the ads.

they

i read it will take at least 24 hours from yesterday afternoon to halt all the ad buys in the works, so by the time he relaunches his glorious campaign on friday morning in time for the debate, it'll be basically meaningless yeah

the palin interview is amazing--esp. the finger licking part

The silence on the Corner about the Palin interview is amusing. One verrrrry brief Lopez mention.

Wow, that interview

My favorite part (paraphrasing here):

Palin: You know, what I think is really interesting is that everyone has been waiting to see what John McCain has to say about this financial crisis. People don't care what Barack Obama thinks.

Couric (incredulous and barely containing her contempt): Well, actually, Barack Obama's poll numbers have gone up sharply since attention has turned to the economy, so on what basis do you say that?

Palin: Well, I don't pay attention to polls.

Yes! -- Certitude unencumbered by pesky facts! That's worked GREAT these last 8 years.

John McCain, campaigning about how he's going to halt his campaign because there is no deal immediately forthcoming and they need him. What happens when a deal comes forth tomorrow, or whenever?

Assuming the debate is on, all this suspension stunt has done is raise the bar perilously high for his performance there -- if he can't come away from the debate looking like the hands-down winner, it's going to look he was running scared.

Intrade numbers:

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f325/caek/chart1217595790701726634.png
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f325/caek/chart1217595790701726643.png

someone fucking w/intrade maybe http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/09/intrade-betting-is-suspcious.html

Yah

Relative trends seem OK, but absolute values and short terms are off.

Couric: [McCain] has been in Congress for 26 years and been head of the Commerce committee. When has he ever pushed for more oversight or regulation?

Palin: He's known as The Maverick.

He's sucked dick all over the world.

joke from letterman:(paraphrased)

McCain said he'll not only cancel today's appearance, but friday's debate. So, you know, Obama will now have to debate Regis.

meanwhile on bbc news site, US economy and presidential race sonned by magicians and rappers, followed on quickly by irish economy and boring weather

MOST POPULAR STORIES NOW
1. Blaine back on feet after stunt
2. Rapper Rhymes detained at airport
3. US rivals in economy crisis talks
4. Irish economy goes into recession
5. Milder and drier winter predicted

sarah palin is like a malfunctioning campaignbot now

hey, you know what, fuck you, bill:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/25/happening-now-mccain-at-clinton-global-initiative/

"John Mccain said Thursday now is not the time to engage in presidential politics, in a speech at the Clinton Global Initiative."

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/politicalinsider/2008/09/is-mccain-preparing-to-vote-ag.html

i wonder if sarah palin (or any GOP surrogate for that matter) knows or cares that the word "maverick" is not, uh, wholly positive in its connotations

hey, remember when everyone described Palin as "smart"?

like it was objectively and self-evidently true?

no?

i mean, she graduated from college, that's qualification enough. hey, it works for mccain, right?

i guess you weren't watching the teevee during the ten days after her nomination

mccain: "is that actually true?"
producer: "well, we've interpretted universal as actually meaning the universe, so yes."
mccain: "that's good enough for me. 'i'm john mccain, and i approved this message.'"

or something like that. man, i wish i had a transcript of that SNL skit.

every Republican surrogate, and even an analyst or two, was sure to note that she did in fact check off the 'smart' box. even Laura Bush was telling us what a 'quick study' she is, the other night, after Bill Clinton told us all about her 'instincts' or whatever.

they took away my stolen cable ;_;

re: davis' lobbying firm

couric: "isn't that a conflict of interest?"
palin: "........... again, [repeats answer to previous question]"

Rasmussen
NC: Obama 49% McCain 47%

yeah, Bubba - guy should just keep his mouth shut jeeezus

McCain suspends campaign, rushes back to DC for photo op

The markets have already factored in a deal: the Dow is up 200.e top congressional principles have essentially done the heavy lifting this morning, and the White House meeting later today has already been downplayed by Chuck Schumer as "photo op."

it is kinda amazing how badly McCain has managed to fuck up in just under 72 hours

Palin doesn't seem stupid. She does about as well in that interview as any of us would if we'd never previously thought about any of the issues too.

Not if McCain votes against the bailout, though I'm not at all sure that politically that's a winner. But doing so would make more credible his distance from Bush, could gain him badly-needed populist cred, and could prolong the crisis so that the debates are postponed (and Palin thus gets more time to prepare).

i seriously doubt that the debates are going to be postponed, unless 9/11 pt. 2 happens

I hope you're right, but the McCain campaign is winging it, and might grandstand Friday and just not show up.

no showing would be a big huge stupid blunder

anyone catch the Smirking Lobster of Hope on "Today Show" this morning? He's unofficially campaigning for McCain, or at least wants him to win.

McCain not voting on bipartisan solution to a national crisis will make him look like a complete asshole, his numbers will go in the toilet.

anyone catch the Smirking Lobster of Hope on "Today Show" this morning? He's unofficially campaigning for McCain, or at least wants him to win.

is he still talking about that happy little Down Syndrome kid who lives down the street?